Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam has announced the withdrawal of an extradition bill that sparked months of protests.
The bill, which would have allowed extraditions to mainland China, where courts are controlled by the Communist Party, triggered months of unrest and posed the gravest challenge to Chinese leader Xi Jinping since he came to power in 2012.
Lam had suspended the bill, but protesters demanded it be fully withdrawn. They have also called for democratic reforms to Hong Kong’s government and an independent inquiry into police actions against protesters.
But in a pre-recorded television message on Wednesday, Lam said the government would not accept such an inquiry, though she did name two new members of a police watchdog agency investigating the matter.
Protesters have also called for the release of those detained without charges, but Lam said this was unacceptable.
Politician Michael Tien said the move was “too little too late.” Speaking ahead of the announcement, he said withdrawal of the bill was unlikely to change public sentiment.
He added: “The focus in Hong Kong is not the withdrawal of the bill but the independent inquiry into alleged police misconduct amid the escalation of violence and the accusations made against police.”
The Hong Kong stock market soared 4%, boosted by the possible bill withdrawal.